212 



" English Husbandman, ' to shew his love for flowers. The 

 same attachment is visible where he enumerates them in his 

 '•' Country House-wive's Garden."— By the bye, though I 

 have stated this last work to be his, it surely appears to have 

 been written by W. Lawson. I merely now give the follow- 

 ing extract from Markham's English House-Wife :" 



" Next vnto this sanctity and holinesse of life, it is meet 

 that our English hous-wife be a woman of great modesty and 

 temperance as well inwardly as outwardly ; inwardly, as in 

 her behauiour and cariage towards her husband, wherein she 

 shall shunne all violence of rage, passion, and humour, couet- 

 ing lesse to direct then to be directed, appearing euer vnto 

 him pleasant, amiable, and delightfull, and though occasion, 

 mishaps, or the misgouernement of his will may induce her 

 to contrary thoughts, yet vertuously to suppresse them, and 

 with a mild sufferance rather to call him home from his error, 

 then with the strength of anger to abate the least sparke of 

 his euill, calling in her mind that euill and vncomely language 

 is deformed though vttered euen to seruants, but most mon- 

 strous and vgly when it appeares before the presence of a 

 husband : outwardly, as in her apparrell and diet, both which 

 she shall proportion according to the competency of her hus- 

 band's estate and calling, making her circle rather strait then 

 large, for it is a rule if we extend to the vttermost, we take 

 away increase, if we goe a hayre breadth beyond, we enter 

 into consumption : but if we preserue any part, we build 

 strong forts against the aduersaries of fortune, prouided that 

 such presentation be honest and ccnscionable : for a lauish 

 prodigality is brutish, so miserable couetuousnesse is hellish. 

 Let therefore the hus-wives garments be comly and strong, 

 made aswel to preserue the health, as adorne the person, 

 altogether without toyish garnishes, or the glosse of light 

 colours, and as far from the vanity of new and fantastick 

 fashions, as neere to the comly imitations of modest matrons." 



